Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Soup

1. 1Pour boiling water over the cashews to cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse before using. Meanwhile, prep all the other ingredients (cut cauliflower, herbs, garlic).
2. 2Make the bouquet garni. Use kitchen twine to tie up the thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaf.
3. 3Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. If they start to get brown too quickly, add a splash of water. Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. 4Pour in some of the vegetable broth and deglaze the pot, stirring up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining broth, water, soaked and drained cashews, cauliflower florets, cannellini beans, nutritional yeast, kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Gently tuck the bouquet garni into the broth. It’s okay if the cauliflower isn’t totally submerged by the liquid – they’ll cook down.
5. 5Bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce the heat to maintain a rapid simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and soft.
6. 6Once the soup is done cooking, remove the bouquet garni and transfer the soup to a stand blender (you will need to do this in two batches). Remove the center cap of the blender and cover it with a dish towel to allow the steam to escape. Blend until smooth, thick, and creamy. Note: You can also use an immersion blender, but the texture won’t be as smooth.
7. 7Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly (I usually add a bit more salt at this stage). Transfer the soup to bowls, and before serving, zest some lemon on top, add a scattering of chili flakes, and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil. Serve with bread.

Dutch oven